Brief:
T' Cymech Armageddonator is a 1/24 scale model o' t' existin' classified stealth reconnaissance aircraft. Begad! T' full sized craft is powered by two regenerative air-turboramjet (RATR) engines and carries a crew o' two. It uses a synthetic aperture radar with real-time datalink for reconnaissance. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Weaponry includes a small particle accelerator. Begad! A speed o' Mach 6 and a cruisin' altitude o' 40 kilometers makes it invulnerable t' any current missile system. Ahoy! T' sleek aircraft is made primarily o' titanium with its outer edges constructed o' Inconel, me hearties, a heat-resistant stainless steel. At speed t' leadin' edges o' t' airframe glow white above 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

T' model is a BT-60 based parachute recovery rocket with 18mm motor mount. Well, blow me down!

Construction:
Parts include BT-60 for t' main fuselage, me bucko, BT-55 for t' forward fuselage, me hearties, JT-55 tube coupler, arrr, balsa nose cone, paper tail cone, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, launch lug, ya bilge rat, BT-20 for t' motor tube, standard motor clip, centerin' rings, 1/8" balsa fins, balsa cockpit, me hearties, 1/8" wingtip dowels, me bucko, me hearties, BT-5 based sidepods with balsa nose cones and balsa ramjets, BT-5 top pod with balsa nose cone.

Two primary goals were achieved with this model. Blimey! One was t' create a highly asymmetrical rocket that flies straight. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Blimey! T' other was t' experiment with a new construction technique wherein an intriguing, sleek, shiver me timbers, crescent-shaped "intake grill" be fashioned from t' transition betwixt two body tubes. Arrr! Blimey!

(click on picture t' enlarge) T' grill was the startin' point. A curved line was drawn by hand and then carefully cut usin' an X-Acto cutlass. Aye aye! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! T' most ventral 8mm of t' BT-60 remained intact. Ya scallywag! Avast! Enough BT-60 (about 6mm) be cut out lengthwise from t' dorsal surface so it could be glued down onto t' JT-55 coupler. Well, blow me down! Forward from t' coupler (the parachute compartment), arrr, an intact BT-55 be used. Ahoy! A piece o' balsa be carefully carved t' provide structural support betwixt t' BT-55 and BT-60. Additional smaller pieces o' balsa were added t' strengthen t' "smile". Well, blow me down! Finally, automotive body filler was added t' complete the vent. Begad!

T' cockpit was hand-carved from a block o' balsa. Ya scallywag! Avast! T' tail cone is paper. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' arrangement o' t' fins was begun with a 3-fin alignment, matey, arrr, which be modified by eye t' make t' main wings a little straighter out t' t' side and allow room for t' vestigial ventral fins. Ya scallywag! T' side pods were completed and then glued into slots cut in t' wings. Begad! Well, blow me down! T' dowel wingtips were pointed with a pencil sharpener then glued on. Blimey! Begad!

Finishing:
T' paint scheme is blue enamel on top, white on bottom, with custom Testors inkjet decals.

Flight and Recovery:
Recommended engines are C6-3 and D10-5. Well, blow me down! Prep is standard waddin' and chute. Aye aye! Recommended chutes are 18"-24". It has flown five times on C6-3s and once on a D10-5. Aye aye! It never had a perfectly straight-up flight, ya bilge rat, but it's nay as bizarre a path as t' SS1, me bucko, either. T' D10-5 flight resulted in a blown-out body tube rather than deployed chute so there is currently substantial damage, ya bilge rat, but I keep it in t' "restoration" pile.

Summary:
Kids absolutely loved it and asked how high. I always told them it's classified. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! It held its rightful place in the arsenal right next t' me classic Interceptor.